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The goal of this study was to evaluate the measurement invariance of an adapted assessment of motivations for social withdrawal ("Social Preference Scale--Revised"; SPS-R) across cultural contexts and explore associations with loneliness. Participants were a large sample of university students (N = 4,397; M[subscript age] = 20.08 years, SD = 2.96; 66% females) from 10 countries (Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, India, Italy, South Korea, Norway, Turkey, and the United States). With this cross-cultural focus, we illustrate the "multiple-group factor analysis alignment method," an approach developed to assess measurement invariance when there are several groups. Results indicated approximate measurement invariance across the 10 country groups. Additional analyses indicated that overall, shyness, avoidance, and unsociability are three related, but distinct factors, with some notable country differences evident (e.g., in China, India, and Turkey). Shyness and avoidance were related positively to loneliness in all countries, but the strength of the association between shyness and loneliness differed in Italy and India relative to the other countries. Results also indicated that unsociability was related positively to loneliness in the United States only. Theoretical and assessment implications are discussed.

An annual herb is known as "Fumitory," Fumaria indica (Hausskn.) Pugsley (Fumariaceae), is a widespread weed in Pakistan's and India's plains. The plantis frequently employed in the Unani and Ayurvedic medical systems, both as a single herb and in different polyherbal preparations. It is helpful for aches, diarrhea, fever, influenza, liver issues, dyspepsia, constipation, vomiting, diuretic, anthelmintic, leukoderma, diaphoretic, blood purification, and for jaundice when combined with black pepper. It has several different chemical components, including carbohydrates, amino acids, proteins, phenolic compounds, alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, glycosides, phytosterols, fixed oils, saponins, steroids, tannins, and more. According to research investigations, this plant has a wide range of pharmacological properties, including antioxidant, analgesic, anticancer, antidiabetic, antibacterial, aphrodisiac, and therapeutic effects on biliary disorders and irritable bowel syndrome. This review focused on the chemical components and pharmacological properties of this plant, which may be useful in future molecular and phytochemical research for the development of medication formulations for the treatment of various ailments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global nature of e-commerce is complicating privacy issues because perceptions of privacy, trust, risk, and fair information practices vary across cultures, and differences in national regulation create challenges for global information management strategies. Despite the spike in international regulatory attention devoted to privacy issues and the tensions associated with them, there has been very little research on the relationship between information privacy concerns and consumers' regulatory preferences, and even rarer is research that incorporates cultural values into a framework that includes privacy concerns and regulation. This study examines privacy concerns, a full complement of cultural values, trust, risk, and regulation at the individual level in a cohesive manner. Relying on a dataset of consumers gathered in the United States and India, the authors test a model that incorporates these constructs as well as trust and risk beliefs. The model explains 48% of the variance in consumers' regulatory preferences, and all but one of the hypotheses find statistical support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This article presents a collaborative initiative of members of the Committee of the International Representatives of the International Cluttering Association (ICA) upon celebrating the 10th anniversary of the ICA. Such collaborative efforts are designed to improve communication skills, enlighten lives of people with cluttering, and serve as models for speech therapists and other health care professionals in countries around the globe. Method: This initiative began with a seminar at the Inaugural Joint World Congress in Japan in 2018 and continues with an article on cluttering based on the contents of the papers presented at the Congress. Sixteen researchers and speech therapists from 15 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe (East and West), America (North and South), and the Middle East have explored the following themes related to cluttering: cluttering awareness, research, professional preparation, intervention, and self-help groups. Results: This article adds to the body of international literature on cluttering and illustrates that, for the past 10 years, hypothesis-testing research in cluttering continues to be conducted across language barriers and national boundaries, and interventions that are implemented in some locales are being tested and taught in other parts of the world; furthermore, new cluttering treatments are being disseminated for professional preparation and clinical practices. Conclusions: This article demonstrates how global engagement of the ICA's international representatives has led to the exchange of ideas about awareness of cluttering and professional preparation and the best strategies for the treatment of this communication disorder in countries around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following publication of the original article [1], the corresponding author reported an error on the name of the fourth author. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with advanced cancer often experience poor health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) due to cancer and treatment-related side-effects. With India's palliative care landscape in its infancy, there is a concern that advanced cancer patients, especially individuals who are from disadvantaged populations experience poor HRQoL outcomes. We aim to assess HRQoL of advanced cancer patients in terms of general well-being (physical, functional, emotional, and social/family well-being), pain experiences, psychological state, and spiritual well-being, and determine the relationship between belonging to a disadvantaged group and HRQoL outcomes. We hypothesize that patients from disadvantaged or minority backgrounds, identified in this paper as financially distressed, female, lower years of education, lower social/family support, minority religions, and Non-General Castes, would be associated with worse HRQoL outcomes compared to those who are not from a disadvantaged group. Methods: We administered a cross-sectional survey to 210 advanced cancer patients in a regional cancer center in India. The questionnaire included standardized instruments for general well-being (FACT-G), pain experiences (BPI), psychological state (HADS), spiritual well-being (FACT-SP); socio-economic and demographic characteristics. Results: Participants reported significantly lower general well-being (mean ± SD) (FACT-G = 62.4 ± 10.0) and spiritual well-being (FACT-SP = 32.7 ± 5.5) compared to a reference population of cancer patients in the U.S. Patients reported mild to moderate pain severity (3.2 ± 1.8) and interference (4.0 ± 1.6), normal anxiety (5.6 ± 3.1) and borderline depressive symptoms (9.7 ± 3.3). Higher financial difficulty scores predicted most of the HRQoL domains (p ≤ 0.01), and being from a minority religion predicted lower physical well-being (p ≤ 0.05) and higher pain severity (p ≤ 0.05). Married women reported lower social/family well-being (p ≤ 0.05). Pain severity and interference were significant predictors of most HRQoL domains. Conclusions: Advanced cancer patients, especially those with lower financial well-being and belonging to minority religions, reported low physical, functional, emotional, social/family, and spiritual well-being, and borderline depressive symptoms. Future studies should be directed at developing effective interventions supporting vulnerable groups such as those with financial distress, and those belonging to minority religions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of a 43 year old female patient with left-sided chest pain. The patient's medical history as well as physical examination did not indicate a special finding. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) was conducted through two ports under general anesthesia which displayed a gray-colored, encapsulated tumor with smooth contours.

Abstract: Multiple linear regression (MLR) and artificial neural network (ANN) models are used in the present work to describe the significant wave height off Goa, located in the west Indian coast. A comparison study was carried out with the purpose of verifying when the artificial neural network and multiple linear regression models are appropriate for prediction of the significant wave height. Discussions of advantages and disadvantages are given in different point of view for both the methods. Several meteorological factors are used during the analysis and the ones affecting more to the model are kept. We concluded that non-linear models with wind speed and wind gust at a previous time step and air pressure, water temperature and air temperature at the same time step yield to better significant wave height models. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]